Marks & Spencer – online sales were up 32% in the 13 weeks to 26 December, although total group sales were only up 2.6% according to their trading statement.
Next – their trading statement shows that Next Directory sales were up 6.8% for the 22 weeks til Christmas Eve, with total sales up 4.6%.
Shop Direct Group – according to their trading update, online sales grew by 19% in the 6 weeks to 1 January. Online sales accounted for a whopping 65% of their total sales (it was 56% this time last year and they’re aiming to get to 70% by 2011). Total sales were up 6.3%. Shop Direct owns Littlewoods, very.co.uk, Woolworths.co.uk, Additions, Great Universal, Choice, Kays, Empire Stores and Marshall Ward.
Ocado, who hope to float this year, told The Times that sales grew by 30% during December and by 49% for the week ending on Boxing Day, when the company took £8.9m despite the havoc caused by bad weather.
Sainsbury’s – their trading update for the 13 weeks to 2 January shows that online sales were up 15% and they delivered a record 500,000 orders in the 4 weeks running up to Christmas. Total sales were up 6.2%.
John Lewis – in their trading statment they say that total sales were up 15% for the 5 weeks until 2 January. For John Lewis Direct, their weekly trading stats show that sales on johnlewis.com were up 56% year on year for the week to 19 December. As ever, I strongly recommend that you click on that last link and sign up for JLP’s weekly trading updates, as they make fascinating reading/benchmarking.
